FDSC20010

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Academic Year 2025/2026

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Food Macronutrients (FDSC20010)

Subject: : Food Science

College: : Health & Agricultural Sciences

School: : Agriculture & Food Science

Level: : 2 (Intermediate)

Credits: : 5

Module Coordinator: : Dr Jean-Christophe Jacquier

Trimester: : Autumn

Mode of Delivery: : Blended

Internship Module: : No

How will I be graded? : Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

After a brief review of key concepts in chemistry, with a view to highlight the importance of water in all biochemical processes, this module is intended to equip students with an introduction to the key biologically important food macronutrients, namely, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. The main aim of the module is to focus on the occurrence, chemical structures, physical and chemical properties of important members of each group in order to illustrate why cell structure and metabolism in plants and animals is dependent on these substances.\ This module underpins Agricultural Biochemistry (FDSC20100) which deals with the nature of the metabolic processes taking place in living cells.

About this Module

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What will I learn?

Learning Outcomes:

Describe the chemical and physical properties of key members of the three main classes of macronutrients. Illustrate how the distinctive properties of each class of biomolecule contribute unique features to structure and function in plant and animal systems. Demonstrate a practical ability to show that simple methods of chemical analysis can be used to distinguish between the different classes of macronutrients and to characterize individual members within a class.

Indicative Module Content:

CHEMICAL BONDS \  What holds things together?(Chemical bonds, Ionic bonds, Covalent bonds) \  How are things held together? (Electronegativity, Type of bond formed, Bond polarity, Molecule polarity, Shape of simple molecules) \  In what state? (Van der Waals forces, Dipole-dipole interactions, Induced dipoles and dispersion forces, Hydrogen forces, Implications for solubility) \  pH and ionisation of molecules\ \ CARBOHYDRATES: \  Monosaccharides (Trioses, D-L Classification, Optical activity, Epimers, Hexoses, Mutarotation, Cyclic representation, Properties and reactions, Reduction, Osazones, Glycosides, Sugar alcohols, Sugar acids) \  Oligosaccharides – Disaccharides (Formation / general formula, Properties, Maltose, Cellobiose, Lactose, Sucrose) \  Polysaccharides (General properties, Starch, Occurrence, properties, Granule, Amylose, Amylopectin, Hydrolysis, Dextrins, Enzymatic Hydrolysis, Glycogen, Cellulose, Lignin, Digestibility, Pectins, Marine polysaccharides)\ \ LIPIDS \  Introduction (Definition, General functions, Saponification, Classification)\  Fats and oils (Structure, Triglycerides, Fatty acids, Unsaturation, Hydrogenation, Drying of oils, Iodine value, Saponification number, Rancidity)\  Waxes, Phospholipids (Definition, General functions, Vesicles, Cell wall, Hydrolysis)\  Non hydrolysable lipids (Steroids, Terpenoids)\ \ PROTEINS\  Amino-Acids (Zwitterions, Isoelectric point, Titration curves, Classification according to polarity of side group, Properties and reactions, Disulfide bond)\  Proteins (Peptide bond, Primary structure, Secondary structure, Globular proteins, Fibrous proteins)\  Protein examples (Keratins, Collagen – tropocollagen – gelatin, Myoglobin – Hemoglobin)\  Properties (pH Titration, Denaturation, Salting-in Salting out, Quantification tests)\ \

How will I learn?

Student Effort Hours:

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Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

ecture slides will be available prior to lectures to help students prepare for the lecture and take notes.\ Extensive written notes on the various lecture topics will be available through Brightspace.\ \ The Computer Aided Labs will consist of a series of short videos showing key experiments used to characterise and differentiate these food biomolecules, with simple multiple choice questions to track progression. Although these CALs will be graded, the low stake grades (2% each) are to ensure student learning.\

Am I eligible to take this module?

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Learning Requirements:\

A first year chemistry module or equivalent

Learning Recommendations:\

none

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Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Pre-requisite:\ CHEM00010 - Introductory Chemistry, CHEM00020 - Introductory Chemistry (Ag), CHEM10030 - Chemistry for Engineers, CHEM10040 - The Molecular World, CHEM10070 - General & Physical Chemistry\ \ Additional Information:\ Students must have passed ONE of the pre-requisite modules listed.\ \ \  \

How will I be assessed?

Assessment Strategy

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Carry forward of passed components

No

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What happens if I fail?

Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. \

Assessment feedback

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment\ • Group/class feedback, post-assessment\ • Self-assessment activities\

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Associated Staff

When is this module offered?

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.

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